Sandy Springs voters return to the polls Tuesday to choose between a three-term incumbent promising to finish what he started and a challenger arguing the city needs fresh energy—a decision that arrives one day after the city’s 20th anniversary.
Why It Matters: The next mayor will steer Georgia’s seventh-largest city through critical decisions on redevelopment, housing affordability, and education. The runoff comes after the most competitive mayoral race in Sandy Springs’ 20-year history, with incumbent Mayor Rusty Paul forced into a December showdown after failing to secure a majority in November.
What’s Happening: Paul finished first in the November 4 election with about 43 percent of the vote. He faces public relations executive Dontaye Carter, who came in second with roughly 21 percent. Councilmember Andy Bauman and former councilmember Jody Reichel trailed behind and were eliminated. Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Between the Lines: Paul acknowledged the cost and challenge of a runoff but expressed confidence heading into the December round. Carter said the results show a desire for new leadership.
A key factor in the runoff is whether supporters of Bauman and Reichel shift toward Paul or Carter.Turnout is expected to be lower than November, making voter mobilization crucial for both campaigns.
The Big Picture: The race has featured unusually sharp exchanges between candidates who’ve spent years working together at City Hall. Housing has emerged as a defining issue, with all four November candidates acknowledging that teachers, nurses, and first responders struggle to afford living in Sandy Springs.
Paul brings more than 40 years of federal, state and local government experience to the race, including serving as Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs under President George W. Bush. He was elected to Sandy Springs’ founding city council in 2005 and became the city’s second mayor in 2013. Under his leadership, the city built the $225 million City Springs campus and a new police headquarters.
But a 2021 email surfaced during the campaign in which Paul wrote he felt tired—a line his opponents used to argue the city needs fresh energy. Paul maintains he wants to finish what he started, arguing the market will sort out housing affordability once lending loosens.
Carter, founder of Carter Media Group, ran against Paul in 2021 and received just over 30 percent of the vote. He announced his 2025 candidacy at the King Center in Atlanta, invoking Dr. King’s legacy and his own great-great-grandfather, who was born into slavery in Selma. His platform centers on fair housing, capping property taxes, and ensuring teachers and first responders can afford to live in the city where they work. Carter proposes Tax Allocation Districts and pathways to homeownership as solutions.
Catch Up Quick: Sandy Springs turns 20 years old in December. The city that fought for four decades to incorporate has become home to Fortune 500 companies like UPS and Mercedes-Benz USA. The city officially came into existence December 1, 2005—the first new city in metro Atlanta in more than 50 years.
Sandy Springs’ first mayor, Eva Galambos, championed a privatization model that became the city’s signature. The city contracted out most services, keeping the municipal workforce small and costs low. The approach was controversial but effective, attracting national attention and becoming a case study in municipal government. Sandy Springs’ incorporation also sparked a wave of cityhood movements across north Fulton, with Milton, Johns Creek, and Chattahoochee Hills all following Sandy Springs’ lead.
The competitive elections that marked Sandy Springs’ founding—including December 2005 council runoffs held just five days after the city’s official incorporation—set a tone for civic engagement that continues today.
The Sources: The Georgia Sun archives.
